In the team’s first summer camp leading up to the season, head coach John Quam said around 27 players showed up, 20 of which were trying out for skill positions.

On top of that, the two best linemen on the team were called up to varsity.

Quam isn’t letting any of that stifle his optimism.

“We’re always developing up at Golden Valley and a lot of times it’s fun to watch the players grow,” Quam said. “This summer, this team really grew and on top of that, really grew together with team unity.”

This summer, Quam said he went out of his way to throw as many game situations at the team as possible. Practices have been filled with 7-on-7 team drills to try to get everyone up to speed.

That includes players with five years youth football experience and the ones with nothing more than a freshman year under their belts.

“We have limited experience in some position and some experience in other parts, and we’re just trying to get cohesive within the team,” Quam said.

Starting quarterback Mike McCormick is among the experienced players impressing the coaching staff in recent weeks.Joining him in the backfield is running back Dominic Fernandez, the only freshman on the team.

“He’s a slippery little guy at running back and he’s one of the ones who has a few years experience,” Quam said. “Hopefully he’s adjusted very well to the speed at the JV level.”

Wide receiver Will Harvey looks to be a key target for McCormick, while Harvey will also contribute on the defensive end at cornerback.

Defensively, Quam has praised linebackers Sam Jeon and Terry Tamura, who is making the transition from playing running back at the youth level.

Coming off a 3-7 season, the Grizzlies are trying to build off three combined Foothill League wins in the past two seasons. To date, those are the only three league wins for Golden Valley JV.

“If we can get some continuity and some kids learning what we’re trying to get done, it might be rough in non-league for the first few games, but I think once we get to league, we’ll be ready,” Quam said.